Insurance World

According to the United States Census Bureau, 87.7 percent of Ohioans had some form of health insurance coverage during 2005, while 12.3 percent were not insured at any time during the year. Additionally, 14 percent of Ohio residents under the age of sixty-five did not have health insurance during 2005.

AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS IN OHIO

Most Ohioans who have health insurance are covered by either employer based plans or government programs. What options are available for individuals who do not have access to such coverage? Ohio Department of Insurance Director, Ann Womer Benjamin, references the “increasing number of options with Health Savings Accounts. There may be a person, or a family, generally comfortable paying for health care costs, but wants a high deductible policy. Also, for fairly young, fairly healthy individuals, an HSA coupled with a High Deductible Health Plan could really work.”

Health Savings Accounts are not feasible for everyone. Ohio residents who are not interested in HSAs should try to take advantage of alternative plans and programs. “Ohio has an Open Enrollment Program that takes (uninsured individuals) regardless of pre-existing conditions, but is likely costly”, Womer Benjamin explains.

HEALTH CARE COVERAGE LEGISLATION

There are currently two bills in the Ohio Legislature, Senate Bill 272 and House Bill 5 / Senate Bill 5 that are generally supported by the Ohio Department of Insurance as methods of expanding access to health insurance coverage.

Senate Bill 272 would repeal the Open Enrollment Program, as well as the Open Enrollment Reinsurance Program. In its place, the Ohio Health Insurance Risk Pool would be created to provide health care coverage to individuals who are unable to obtain affordable health care coverage in any other manner. This would eliminate the annual periods of open enrollment that sickness and accident insurers, health insurance corporations, and multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs) are currently required to hold. “The Ohio Health Insurance Risk Pool would provide a state fund for those without health insurance coverage. We would support this concept and have various suggestions for funding. We would theoretically be able to reach ten times more individuals than the Open Enrollment Program does currently”, says Womer Benjamin.

House Bill 5 / Senate Bill 5 would permit small employers to offer health care plans that do not provide benefits otherwise required by law. The bill provides for the operation of health savings accounts that are consistent with federal law, and places a limit on an insured’s liability for co-payments and deductibles under a health benefit plan. ODI Director Womer Benjamin asserts that the bill “would provide more options for small businesses, and we are hopeful that that will pass”.
THE MASSACHUSETTS EXAMPLE

On April 4, 2006, Massachusetts House Bill 4850 was overwhelmingly passed by the state legislature. All Massachusetts residents will be required to obtain health insurance coverage by July 1, 2007. The state’s plan dictates that businesses with more than ten employees that do not provide health insurance coverage will be charged a fee of as much as $295 a year for each employee. Government subsidies to private insurance plans will provide affordable health insurance to a greater number of the working poor, and individuals who can afford private health plans will be penalized on their state income taxes if they do not have coverage. Should Ohio consider a similar plan in order to achieve nearly universal health insurance coverage? Ohio Department of Insurance Director Ann Womer Benjamin says that we need to “watch Massachusetts and evaluate the plan’s success and funding”. “Ohio has a larger number of uninsured individuals and is different than Massachusetts, politically.”

Ohioans have a large selection of health insurance carriers and government programs to choose from. Regardless of the provider, it is extremely important for individuals to obtain a health insurance plan. Director Womer Benjamin emphasizes that she is “concerned with people who don’t think they need health insurance coverage”.

About The Ohio Department of Insurance

The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) is an informative resource for those seeking information regarding health insurance options in the state. ODI asserts that its mission is to be “responsive to and safeguard consumer interests through education and vigilance while promoting a stable and competitive marketplace among insurance providers”. The Ohio Department of Insurance can help uninsured persons sort through their options, depending on their individual circumstances. For more information, call the ODI Consumer Hotline at 1-800-686-1526.

The Department is headed by Director Ann Womer Benjamin, who was appointed in January of 2003, and is the first woman to hold this position. Prior to this appointment, Womer Benjamin served in the Ohio House of Representatives for eight years.

It’s hard to convince a would-be burglar not to bothering breaking into a house, when the figures relating to the sale of stolen goods say so strongly otherwise. A survey carried out by Halifax Home Insurance has revealed that one third of people buy goods that they know were potentially stolen. Why? Because the deal is too good to resist. A top range digital camera could cost Ј200 or more, if you’re offered it for Ј50 then would you be able to say no? And we’ve all seen goods going for far less than their market rate in our high streets, but do we report the criminals? Not so far.

The study estimates that 6.5 million Britons have given money to criminals on the street in exchange for stolen goods, amounting to a collective spend of around Ј247 million. The savings consumers make hit the high street, as the money’s not being spent there, which in turn affects the economy. The repercussions affect homeowners the worst, obviously, as there’s nothing to discourage burglars from giving up their illegal pastimes. Insurance companies end up paying out more they bargained for, which pushes premiums up. It’s a perpetual circle in which the only winners are those breaking the law.

So what can we do about it? The answer is obvious – don’t buy goods that you suspect might be stolen. Report people that you think may be dealing in stolen goods to the police, although this is easier said than done. And also, were you aware that if you are found to have bought an item that was burgled from a house, you could face criminal prosecution? Clearly not enough incentive to stop one third of people from making the purchase.

The survey also revealed some other interesting figures. For example, 85% of those that admitted to buying what they assumed were stolen goods, said that they didn’t actually care if they had been stolen or not. They just wanted to get a bargain.

It’s not all bad news for those worried about the moral state of Britain however, 20% of those buying potentially stolen goods on the street said they did enquire as to where the goods came from. Of course, there’s nothing to stop the vendor lying about the goods’ origins, but it’s nice to know that some people care, even if only a little bit.

There is something else we can do to stop this perpetual chain of events, although it’s not foolproof. Homeowners can improve their home security – good suggestions to avoid being a target are: join/start a neighbourhood watch scheme; invest in security lights; get a burglar alarm; and invest in high quality door and window locks.

You can also take measures to help improve your chances of regaining any stolen goods, such as marking all expensive items like TV and computers with an invisible UV pen, and taking photos of expensive items so police have a better chance of recognising and recovering the item.

Naturally, taking all the above measures and more cannot provide an absolute guarantee that thieves will be deterred, so be sure to invest in a good home and contents insurance policy. The Internet is the best place for the cheapest deals, especially as many insurers offer online discounts, and many also offer discounts for customers that take out more than one type of policy – both car and home insurance, for example.